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sends them forth. And when a Newton, and a Lock are wanted in philosophy to drag her out of the mire of ignorance, superstition and stupidity; a Newton and a Lock appear. And when the pressing necessities of advancing trade and commerce demand quicker modes of conveyance, and more rapid facilities of exchange, a Fulton appears with his steam engine, and a new era commences in the universal pursuits of life—: hence we may infer that God is ever mindful of the interests and happiness of the people.
What then is the sum of all this protracted argument on the origin and character of Liberty? what the irresistible conclusions that legitimately and logically flow from our demonstrations? It is this: that to christianity or the Gospel the world is indebted for true and permanent Liberty; and to the church—the primitive church, as founded by the Redeemer and his apostles; we are indebted for the principles of popular government. And infidelity must ultimately, range itself on the side of monarchy and despotism or embrace and defend the cause of Christianity, for that and Liberty are one and inseperable.
And from what has been urged on this branch of our subject; the importance, the indispensable necessity of popular education—instruction and intelligence, must be apparent to all. This should be felt by all, in the character of a supreme moral obligation. Give a people this, and they want but two articles more, both cheap, but all important to a people’s welfare and safety—; the Bible and the Musket. The first will instruct a people in all their rights and duties, the last will defend them in the exercise and enjoyment of the same. Such a people will never submit to wrong and injustice. And though they might be annihilated, they will never be conquered.
We proceed now to the second part of our subject: the progress of Liberty. On this we must be brief: all we have time and limits to do is just to notice a few of its most important triumphs. We pass over the period of its long sleep and thraldom during that doleful moral night of profound darkness that lay as a mighty and hideous vampire upon the world: when man was doubly a bondsman and a slave. When the political despot took the body and the ecclesiastic took the soul, and left nothing for God. And man after being plundered by the first, was handed over to be replundered by the second: and thus the great body politic, the people, was regarded as a great goose, from which statesmen and church men, plucked the feathers with which to feather their nests. And if the poor goose died from hunger, cold and na-
